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Tamaki Hiroshi and voice-acting

Tamaki Hiroshi and Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow

I’m a bit late to the news, but it’s a happy one, so better late than never. Tamaki Hiroshi is part of the Japanese voice-over cast for the American film Jurassic World, and provides the voice-over for the protagonist Owen Grady (played by Chris Pratt), who is a Velociraptor expert and trainer. Other notable folk in this project include actresses Kimura Yoshino (voicing Claire Dearing, played by Bryce Dallas Howard) and Matsuoka Mayu (voicing Gray Mitchell, played by Ty Simpkins), and comedy duo Oriental Radio (Nakata Atsuhiko and Fujimori Shingo). I’m very pleased for Tamaki and so glad he’s getting some recognition for his foray into voice-acting. His voice is so sexy it is instantly recognisable. And since Chris Pratt is kinda good-looking, it tickles me that one hottie is doing the voice-over for another hottie. Ha!

It’s not Tamaki’s first time doing voice-acting – he was narrator for the Japanese version of the popular BBC TV science documentary series Africa, which aired in the UK in 2013 and focused on wildlife, habitats, desert, savannah etc. In an interview last year, Tamaki said he took inspiration from famed British naturalist David Attenborough who narrates the original series, and Ishimaru Kenjiro, best known as the roving narrator in the TV Asahi miniseries Sekai no Shasokara (See the World by Train), on his approach to narrating Africa. Informally, he’d also done a lot of narration for Nodame Cantabile, as quite a number of scenes would feature Chiaki’s thoughts, and other dramas requiring such scenes. But doing it for non-drama purposes takes on a different flavour and has its own quirks and styles, so I’m happy he’s game for trying new things.

Below is the video of the press-con for the Japanese voice-actors, which Tamaki attended with Kimura and Matsuoka (part 1 with the Jurassic World cast is here). Briefly, Tamaki said he first watched Jurassic Park when he was 13. He didn’t expect he’d now be doing the voice-over for Jurassic World and he’s delighted about it. I totally approve of his suit and think he looks gorgeous and confident. The blue was wonderful on him and I love his hairstyle. I’ve always thought keeping it simple suited Tamaki best, which was why the entire Chiaki wardrobe fitted him like a glove.

Kimura Yoshino is a solid actress and I do like what little I’ve seen of Matsuoka Mayu, so I’m pleased that Tamaki is joined by two lovely actresses in this project. I do hope Tamaki takes on more of such voice-acting projects, and if they include English-language ones, he can brush up his English while at it. Kinda kills two birds with one stone, doesn’t it?